Between January and August 2024, Romania’s total external debt increased by 14. 189 billion euros, reaching 182. 524 billion euros, according to data from the National Bank of Romania (BNR), as reported by News.ro..
‘Between January and August 2024, the total external debt rose by 14. 189 billion euros to 182. 524 billion euros.In terms of structure, long-term external debt accounted for 133. 389 billion euros as of August 31, 2024 (73. 1% of the total external debt), which represents an increase of 9. 2% compared to December 31, 2023; short-term external debt stood at 49. 135 billion euros (26. 9% of the total external debt) as of August 31, 2024, marking a 6. 3% increase from December 31, 2023,’ the BNR data shows.
Foreign direct investments in Romania totaled 4. 139 billion euros (compared to 4. 382 billion euros in the January to August 2023 period), of which equity investments (including estimated reinvested profit) amounted to a net value of 3. 563 billion euros, while intragroup loans recorded a net value of 576 million euros.
During the period from January to August 2024, the current account of the balance of payments recorded a deficit of 17. 858 billion euros, compared to 13. 830 billion euros in the same period of 2023.In this structure, the goods balance reported a higher deficit of 2. 634 billion euros, the services balance noted a smaller surplus by 863 million euros, the primary income balance had a larger deficit of 979 million euros, and the secondary income balance showed a larger surplus by 448 million euros.
The long-term external debt service ratio was 13. 8% in August 2024, compared to 18% in 2023.The coverage ratio of goods and services imports as of August 31, 2024, was 5. 9 months, compared to 5. 6 months as of December 31, 2023.
The coverage ratio of short-term external debt, calculated at residual value, relative to foreign currency reserves at the BNR as of August 31, 2024, was 101. 1%, compared to 99. 7% as of December 31, 2023.
